HBO host Bill Maher called on President Joe Biden to bow out of the election after his debate debacle — and backed California Gov. Gavin Newsom to run against Donald Trump.
The “Real Time with Bill Maher” host compared the choice between Trump and Biden to the episode of “Happy Days” in which the Fonz jumps over a shark while water-skiing in his signature leather jacket – the pop-culture inspiration for the phrase “jumping the shark,” or running out of fresh material and turning to crazy ideas.
“If our presidential politics were a TV show, it would be a series past its prime in desperate need of new characters,” Maher wrote in a New York Times guest essay published Monday.
The op-ed comes after the 81-year-old Biden appeared to freeze at times while struggling to answer questions from CNN moderators during last Thursday’s debate.
The disastrous performance led to hand-wringing from many top Democrats and also led the left-leaning Times to run an editorial calling on Biden to drop out of the race.
“There is no reason for the party to risk the stability and security of the country by forcing voters to choose between Mr. Trump’s deficiencies and those of Mr. Biden,” the Times’ editorial board said. “It’s too big a bet to simply hope Americans will overlook or discount Mr. Biden’s age and infirmity that they see with their own eyes.”
Maher said when it comes to Biden’s age, he “can’t ignore the obvious; none of us can.”
He argued that Biden’s stumbling effort was not a “tragedy,” but “a blessing in disguise,” as it gives him the opportunity to drop out of the race and the Democratic Party the chance to introduce a fresh face.
Maher called on the Democratic Party to hold an open convention – a move that he said might spark excitement across Dem voters and give the party a better chance of securing the presidency.
“Democrats could not buy, with all of George Soros’s money, the enthusiasm, engagement and interest they would get from having an open convention,” Maher said, referring to the liberal billionaire who is a frequent supporter of progressive lawmakers.
Maher said his pick to replace Biden on the ticket is Newsom, since he presents a stark contrast to the incumbent:
“He is forceful, is never at a loss for words or stats, never stumbles, is never intimidated. He’s unbullyable, and that’s important against Mr. Trump,” the political satirist said.
If Newsom made it on the ticket, then current Vice President Kamala Harris would either be booted from the ticket or forced to change her residence to allow California’s 54 electors to vote for both its candidates for president and vice president, Maher said.
Harris shares similarly poor ratings to Biden. She has a 52% unfavorable rating, according to a Politico poll from June.
Maher said Biden not stepping aside has become “an act of supreme selfishness.”
He pointed to Barack Obama’s presidential run in 2007 as a successful example, when the “new kid on the block” persona helped catapult him to the White House.
